Pennsylvania rental market data

Across measured metros, the median rent-growth reading was 4.5%, versus 3.3% for home values. The 10th-to-90th percentile interval was 3.3% to 8.4% for rent growth and 1.0% to 6.7% for value growth. Because rent growth covers 22 metros while value growth covers 29, these distributions show a statewide screening pattern rather than a matched result for every locality.

The paired examples make the separation more concrete. Indiana recorded 25.2% rent growth and 7.2% value growth; Johnstown recorded 8.8% rent growth while its value measure declined 0.5%; and Pottsville recorded 8.4% rent growth against 5.0% value growth. These readings warrant local lease and renewal checks, but rent indexes do not establish achieved rent, concessions, occupancy or the durability of a one-year change.

Median year-over-year employment growth across 29 metros was 0.1%, with a 10th-to-90th percentile interval from a 0.7% decline to 1.0% growth. Across all 67 counties, 273,936 people moved in and 286,035 moved out, producing net migration of negative 12,099, or negative 0.9 per 1,000 residents. Aggregate mover income provides a small counter-directional reading: inflowing adjusted gross income exceeded outflowing adjusted gross income by $26,361.

Local job results are a stronger counter-signal. Employment grew 2.3% in State College, 1.4% in Lebanon and 1.1% in Allentown, each above the measured metro 90th-percentile reading of 1.0%. Screening should therefore remain metro-specific. These employment figures do not reveal how many added workers rent, while the migration data cover a different period and cannot validate current leasing conditions by themselves.

The measured metro median was 2.8 months of supply and 18.5 days on market, but the 10th-to-90th percentile intervals extended from 1.3 to 4.4 months and from 8 to 55.5 days. The median sale-to-list ratio was 98.9%, while 29.2% of listings had price drops. That combination describes generally quick resale with meaningful price resistance, not uniformly strong seller leverage.

Chambersburg had 5.2 permits per 1,000 residents, 2.4 months of supply, 21 days on market and price drops on 36.3% of listings. State College paired 4.3 permits per 1,000 with 1.5 months of supply and 8 days on market; Gettysburg paired 4.1 permits per 1,000 with 2.4 months and 14 days. In contrast, Lewisburg took 65 days with 4.5 months of supply, Selinsgrove took 62 days with 3.4 months, and Sunbury took 59 days with 4.0 months. Permits are not completed units and do not identify rental tenure, so they cannot establish future rental competition.

Across 67 counties, the median share of renters spending at least 30% of income on rent was 43.9%, and the 90th-percentile reading was 51.3%. The selected high-burden counties were Centre at 57.0%, Monroe at 57.0% and Lehigh at 55.0%. Their renter shares differed materially—38.2%, 19.8% and 34.4%, respectively—as did their vacancy readings of 11.2%, 23.1% and 4.5%. High burden supports demand for lower-cost units but also limits how safely further rent increases can be assumed.

The county median housing unit dates to 1969, while the median stock is 79.2% single-family and only 2.7% large multifamily. The median ACS vacancy rate was 11.6%, rising to 26.2% at the 90th percentile. Forest, Sullivan and Potter posted much higher overall vacancy rates of 72.3%, 54.3% and 43.6%, but renter shares of only 21.7%, 15.1% and 20.3%; each was more than 81% single-family. The packet does not identify these overall vacancies as units available to renters, so they should not be treated as direct rental oversupply.

Across 29 measured metros, gross yield had a 6.0% median and a 10th-to-90th percentile interval from 5.0% to 8.5%. The median price-to-income measure was 3.69, and the median rent-to-income measure was 20.8%. Measured rent was 98.2% of the local two-bedroom HUD Fair Market Rent at the median, but reached 123.4% at the 90th percentile. HUD standards are comparison points, not proof of attainable rent or subsidy revenue.

Pottsville combined a $169,631 value, $1,267 monthly rent and 9.0% gross yield; its rent-to-income measure was 22.3%. Oil City combined $134,454, $982 and 8.8%, with rent at 19.2% of income. Johnstown combined $120,544, $863 and 8.6%, with rent at 17.7% of income. These are useful entry screens, but gross yield excludes financing, taxes, insurance, repairs, management, vacancy and capital work.

Across 67 counties, the median effective property-tax rate was 1.3%, with a 10th-to-90th percentile interval from 1.0% to 1.6%. The median tax bill was $2,365, compared with $1,502 at the 10th percentile and $4,322 at the 90th. Delaware recorded a 1.8% rate and $6,124 median tax, Monroe 1.7% and $4,447, and Berks 1.6% and $4,239. Those differences can materially change the conversion from gross to net return.

Inland flood is the mutually exclusive leading-hazard label for all 67 counties. It is not a statement that every property is flood-exposed. The county climate-loss ratio had a 0.12% median and a 10th-to-90th percentile interval from 0.09% to 0.19%; Cameron, Warren and Potter recorded 0.31%, 0.28% and 0.24%, respectively. The packet lacks parcel flood status, insurance premiums and building-specific mitigation, so county hazard labels cannot complete property underwriting.